Maritimers face extended wait times for specialist appointments
CTV
On top of extended wait times at Maritime emergency rooms, patients are also waiting longer periods to see specialists across Atlantic Canada.
Calling it “a really long time coming,” Doctors Nova Scotia president and family physician Dr. Leisha Hawker says there has definitely been a rise in wait times when it comes to getting her patients in to see a specialist.
In fact, she says data from 1993 shows it only took two months, a vastly different reality than what’s being seen today.
“Right now a lot of our very complex patients who need to see a specialist or a surgeon are waiting much, much longer than that and unfortunately, they’re having more negative outcomes because of the delay,” said Hawker.
In terms of more negative outcomes, she talks about inability to work and contribute to the economy, difficulties taking care of children or grandparents and other impacts beyond health care.
Grouped with an aging population, an already backlogged system and the challenge to bring doctors to the Maritimes, she said it could get worse if something isn’t done quickly.
“About a quarter of our family doctors are over the age of 60 and 23 per cent of our specialists are over 60. So, we could see significant retirements in the next five to 10 years,” she said.
However, things are currently being done to try and alleviate the problem, including new ways to bring doctors together with programs like Virtual Hallway, a electronic medical platform that allows family doctors to access specialists through an e-consult pilot program.
